Rub-iron for vehicles.



PATENTBD SEPT. 15, 1903.

J. B. ERHART. RUB IRON FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26; 1903.

N0 MODEL.

We? aim! 7N .U b b x 3 7 w n0 v H UNITED; STATES iatented September 15,

JACOB B. ERHART, OF-AUBURN, NEW YORK.

RUB-IRON FOR VEHICLES.

SPEGTFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 738,990, datedSeptember '15, 1903.

Application filed June 26, 1903. Serial No. 163 207; (No model.)

To wZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB B. ERHAR'CE, of Auburn, in the county ofCayuga, in the State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Rub-Irons for Vehicles, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to improvements in rub-irons for vehicles,againstwhich the steering-wheels are adapted to contact to prevent injury tothe body and tires of the vehicles.

The object of this invention is to provide a roller rub-iron and tomount the same in such manner that when itis engaged by the wheels ofthe vehicle and rotated the friction and consequent noise and wear willbe reduced to a minimum.

Another object is to support the roller at its opposite ends only and toprovide means for taking up the wear of the roller-bearin gs.

Other objects will be brought out in the following description;

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective .view of the detachedrub-iron or roller and its supportingbracket. Fig. 2 is a side elevationof the parts seen in Fig. 1, the ends of the roller and its bearingsbeing shown in section. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3 3,Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the detached roller rub-iron,showing one of its trunnions detached. Fig. 5 is a perspective view ofthe detached bracket for supporting the roller rub-iron. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of one of the tapering bushings for receiving theroller-bearings.

- Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

This invention consists, essentially, of a bracket or metal plate 1,carrying a rotary,

The bracketcylin'drical rub-iron or roller 2. 1 consists of a flat metalbody 3, which is adapted to be secured to the under side of the frame ofthe body of the vehicle and is formed with lengthwise slots 4 to receivesuitable clamping screws or bolts, (not shown,) but are fastened to theframe of the body, so that when-the bracket is secured in position theslotsfpermit it to be adjusted longitudinally to bring the rub-iron inproper relation to engage the wheels. One of the lontudinal edge beingprovided with cylindrical" or tubular arms 6, having alined threadedopenings 7 extending therethrough from end to end. These openings 7 aretapered inwardly toward each other from their outer ends forreceivin gtapering split bushings or bearings 8, as best seen in Fig. 6, said bushings being threaded exteriorly and are provided with transverse. slots 9in their outer ends for receiving a suitable tool, as a screwdriver, andwhereby the bushings may be adjusted longitudinally when desired. Eachof these bushings is formed with a longitudi= nal slit 10, extendingoutwardly from its inner end face, butonly part of its length, so thatwhen the tapering bushing is screwed inwardly the opposite jaws formedby the longitudinal split are compressed upon the roller= bearings,presently described, to take up any wear. These bushings are providedwith lengthwise sockets 11, which extend outwardly from their innerends, but only partially through the same, the outer ends or heads beingsolid, although it is apparent that the openings may extend entirelythrough the bushings, if desired, the object of closing the outer endsbeing to prevent the entrance of dust'or dirt to the bearings.

The roller rub-iron 2 is interposed between the tubular arms 6 and is ofsubstantially the same length as the distance between the inner endfaces of said tubular arms, and the oppo= siteends of said rollerrub-irons are provided withsockets 12,extending inwardly from their endfaces for receiving the inner ends of suit able trunnions 13. The outerends of the sockets1 2 are enlarged at 14, and the intermediate portionof the trunnions 13 are also enlarged for forming an annular flange 15.

The inner ends 16 of the trunnions 13 are driven with a tight fit intothe sockets 12 until the shoulders or flanges 15 enter the reof theroller rub-iron 2 into the open ends of ihe bushings S and are formed ofless diameter than the interior diameter of the bushings to receiveroller-bearings 17, which are interposed between the trunnions 13 andinner surfaces ofthe bushings to form roller-bearings for the rub-ironand to reduce the friction incidental to its rotation to a minimum. Theinner ends of the bushings 8 preferably extend a slight distance beyondthe innerend faces of the tubular arms 6 and enter the recesses 14, soas to prevent as much as possible the entrance of dust to the bearings.

I11 assembling the rub-iron upon the bracket 1 the cylindrical part 2 isfirst placed between the tubular arms 6, and the trunnions or studs 13are then driven into the sockets 12 through the openings 7, after whichthe bushings 8, with their roller-bearings 17, are screwed into theirsockets 7 with the rollers 17 surrounding the trunnions 13, the bushingsbeing properly adjusted to permit the free rotation of the rub-ironwithout undue play.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a rub-iron for vehicles, a bracket having aliued openings,tapering bushings inserted in said openings and split longitudinally,and a roller having its opposite ends journaled in said bushings.

2. A rub iron for vehicles comprising a bracket having tubular armsthreaded interiorly, tapering threaded bushings inserted in said tubulararms and split longitudinally, and a roller rub-iron having its oppositeends journaled in said bushings.

.3. In a rub-iron for vehicles, a bracket having tubular arms, bushingsinserted in said tubular arms and extending beyond their inner faces,and a roller between said arms and having their outer ends encirclingthe innally through portions of their lengths, the

inner ends of the bushings projecting beyond the inner faces of theirons, a roller rub-iron between the arms and encircling the inner endsof the bushings, trunnions projecting from the ends of the roller intothe bushings, and roller-bearings between the trunnions and innersurfaces of the bushings.

6. A rub-iron for vehicles comprising a bracket having tubular armsthreaded interiorly, threaded bushings screwed into said arms and havingsockets extendingoutwardly from their inner end faces,but only part waythrough the bushings, said bushings having their inner ends extendingbeyond the inner faces of the arms, and a roller rub-iron between thearms having its opposite ends encircling the inwardly-projecting ends ofthe bushings and provided with trunnions journaled in said sockets.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of June,1903.

JACOB B. ERHART. Vitnesses:

ROBERT WHITE, WILLIAM H. WHITE.

